Bebop Spoken There

Ron Carter quoting Sonny Rollins: ''What we call jazz - that's keeping the world in equilibrium. I don't care what kind of music you like out here today. It all comes from jazz.'' (DownBeat August, 2026)

The Things They Say!

This is a good opportunity to say thanks to BSH for their support of the jazz scene in the North East (and beyond) - it's no exaggeration to say that if it wasn't for them many, many fine musicians, bands and projects across a huge cross section of jazz wouldn't be getting reviewed at all, because we're in the "desolate"(!) North. (M & SSBB on F/book 23/12/24)

Postage

18799 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 663 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Aug. 12) 32.

Reviewers wanted

Whilst BSH attempts to cover as many gigs, festivals and albums as possible, to make the site even more comprehensive we need more 'boots on the ground' to cover the albums seeking review - a large percentage of which never get heard - report on gigs or just to air your views on anything jazz related. Interested? then please get in touch. Contact details are on the blog. Look forward to hearing from you. Lance

From This Moment On

August

Sat 15: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 15: Jake Leg Jug Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £16.26.

Sun 16: Vintage Explosion @ Cliffe Park, Roker, Sunderland SR6 8DB. 5:00-10:30pm. £44.00 (inc. bf).

Mon 17: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 20: Edson Angus Quartet @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 20: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Fri 21: Andrzej Baranek Trio @ The Lit & Phil. 1:00pm. £8.00. Andrzej Baranek (piano); Josh Cavanagh-Brierley (double bass); Dave Walsh (drums). SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: David Gray Flextet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.
Fri 21: Errol Linton & His Band + Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. Excellent blues double bill.

Thursday, November 02, 2023

Album review: Judi Jackson - Here Comes the Sun

Judi Jackson (vocals); Jamie Safir  (piano); Will Cleasby  (drums);  Mikele Montolli  (bass); Todd Oliver  (guitar); Felix Higginbottom (perc)

A recent winner in the Vocalist of the Year category at the Jazz FM awards, UK-based US vocalist Judi Jackson's new studio album My American Songbook, will be released on November 10 ahead of a concert at the Queen Elizabeth Hall on November 12 as part of this year’s London Jazz Festival. The ten-track collection features Jackson’s distinctive take on classic tracks from the jazz canon.


I'm not quite sure how the Beatles' Here Comes the Sun turns up in an American Songbook nor would I refer to it as being a classic from the 'jazz canon'. However, working on the premise that music and jazz in particular transcends boundaries and that, in the voice of Ms Jackson and the hands of Jamie Safir it is certainly worthy of a late entry. In fact, to my ears, it is much more listenable and certainly jazzier than the original.


The other tracks, in the main, meet the criteria and Jackson's take on Willow is a blues drenched soulful version displaying her wide range effectively. Again Safir is  right there with some Bourbon Street piano. 


Solid support throughout make this an album well worth checking out. Lance

 

Here Comes theSun; Peel me a Grape;  Willow Weep For me; With You; The Thrill Is Gone; Don’t Let me be Misunderstood; Baltimore; Stormy Weather; My Baby Just Cares For me; Come Rain or Come Shine

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